I heard about this on the radio. It got me kinda miffed. Why are my tax dollars funding a bailout on an organization that is clearly in the tank for the left? Or is this just part of the pay to play since they helped get Obama elected? I am really trying to be supportive but I have to share this information since the media obviously isn't.

Wow, not a very good way to start out the term. Lets hope he doesn't do this any more.

durrell

01-28-2009, 11:26 AM

Not surprising. I have a bad feeling we're in for it when he shows his true colors.

ferret15

01-28-2009, 12:41 PM

what a ****

vikingshadow

01-28-2009, 12:47 PM

I heard about this on the radio - and I'm not too happy. I knew we were in for it when he chose his cabinet members.

1. Hillary as Secretary of State. Politically, this is a safe move for him because now she's not running against him in 2012. But still, is she really the choice he should have made for that particular position? I would have thought an insurance thing or health care would have been better for her. Or is he hoping that Bill will be a factor here?

2. His choice for Secretary of Education is a joke. Not only was this guy NEVER a teacher, he hasn't even been a principal! How is he going to help education - we don't need MORE lay people telling us how to educate children. We need an actual experienced in education person in there. Then, come to find out, his own district is FAILING the NCLB mandates. Not good at all.

3. I'm not going to go through the list, but it includes many Chicago politicians, and let's not forget all the trouble THEY'RE in politically.

Yeah, things aren't looking really good right now.

Oh, one more thing. During the same radio broadcast where I heard about the bailout, it said something about how he repealed "George Bush's" abortion bill? This is another biggie to a lot of people, but that's not getting any real airplay right now.

However, I may be wrong on that last one, so I'm not going to give my opinion, yay or nay. on it. Did anyone hear what he did about the abortion bill? I believe it's the partial birth abortion bill - the one where the baby is partially born and they give it an injection in the back of the skull to kill it. As a parent, I'm not sure how anyone could say that's ok.

I'm still giving him his chance, but it's really looking bad if we base the next few years off his recent decisions.

Muddytaco

01-28-2009, 12:59 PM

.......and so it begins

Drefish99

01-28-2009, 01:21 PM

Vike, You might be talking about the bill that Regan passed where no government funding could be used to help pay for, promote or educate abortion. That one has always been a political hot potato. Regan signed it, Clinton repealed it, Bush re-enacted it and now Obama just did his due diligence and took it down again. He was only doing what his past position on abortion has been. There is a reason why he has had a more radical position towards abortion than even Hillary Clinton.

Or you could be talking about the Born alive infant protection act where babies that were supposed to be aborted and survived should have equal rights for care as any other premature infant. If so that has been a huge sore on me for a long time. My son was a preme. I watched the doctors do everything they could to save him. Now he's an active, intelligent 5 year old loving life. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't give a baby the same care even after surviving a failed abortion.

If a baby survives a failed abortion, then it was obviously meant to live, no matter what creed or religion, or NON-RELIGION (now we have to throw that in, apparently...) you are.

I am very saddened that our country voted him in, but I will wait and reserve judgement on him until he proves himself unworthy of the position just a little more.

timmyshoota

01-28-2009, 03:26 PM

.......and so it begins

What begins? The Republican smear campaign that will be on going on this website? I mean, its fact this site is 99% Republican and no matter what Obama does he's gonna be hated here.

Critical

01-28-2009, 04:27 PM

What begins? The Republican smear campaign that will be on going on this website? I mean, its fact this site is 99% Republican and no matter what Obama does he's gonna be hated here.

This site is about as politically neutral as you can get, there are many from both sides of the aisle, as well as many who lay claim to the center. I used to be a Republican, now, I am a conservative, since the Republicans have joined the Democrats in hosing our country. Additionally, I do not, nor does anyone I know, hate President Obama. We disagree with his positions, and voice our opposition, but when did that become hate? Hate is a matter of personality, not of party affiliation.

TheRedBarron

01-28-2009, 05:07 PM

Lets not make this a debate.

timmyshoota

01-28-2009, 06:02 PM

This site is about as politically neutral as you can get, there are many from both sides of the aisle, as well as many who lay claim to the center. I used to be a Republican, now, I am a conservative, since the Republicans have joined the Democrats in hosing our country. Additionally, I do not, nor does anyone I know, hate President Obama. We disagree with his positions, and voice our opposition, but when did that become hate? Hate is a matter of personality, not of party affiliation.

You haven't been here long enough to know that this is a VERY conservative and VERY republican forum apparently.

I voted for Obama, and you must have misunderstood me saying not to turn this into a debate.

...The OGM

vikingshadow

01-28-2009, 06:02 PM

That may have been what I heard about, Dre. I really wasn't for sure. Thanks for the info!

I agree with Matt, but just for the record, I honestly don't hate or dislike Obama. I don't know him, and as such I'm giving him a chance to prove himself. All during the Democratic debates and such, I actually was for him. However, I just felt like I didn't agree with a lot of what was done and said during the race by BOTH parties, and when it all came down to it I voted my conscious. To be honest, I felt ALL choices were bad, and the one I actually wanted wasn't in it and Oklahoma doesn't have a write in, so I was screwed. Now, I'm not saying WHO I voted for at all because that doesn't matter.

However, as I mentioned in my post - these things were some of what I really didn't want to see happen and now that they have, I'm a bit concerned, as anyone who wants the best for their families and friends should be. I'm not going to blindly say he's wonderful and he's going to make our country great again - that'd be just as bad as saying his horrible and he'll tear us apart. He's been in office a week, for crying out loud! But I have to say, the main reason I'm concerned is that one of them (the secretary of education thing) directly affects me, my family and my career personally. As far as financially, I think our county is heading down a path with too many bad turns in it and it doesn't matter who's in charge - it's still going to hurt us. The trick is, which way is going to hurt us the least and which one is going to hurt my FAMILY the least.

Oh, and I was also curious about that abortion thing I heard about. That's why I asked!

Like was mentioned, I don't hate, nor does anyone I know, hate Obama. They/we dislike some of the things he's doing, but we're giving him a chance. However, I do realize what you are saying given four years ago on these forums, but I honestly have to say that this site isn't as Republican heavy as it was way back when Bush was running his second term.

xsvly-fat

01-28-2009, 06:26 PM

What begins? The Republican smear campaign that will be on going on this website? I mean, its fact this site is 99% Republican and no matter what Obama does he's gonna be hated here.

I admit that this is a very conservative site but posting stuff like this isn't leaning on one side or another it's just stating what he did (however I heard he couldn't get it done for some reason :confused: ) I'm not trying to start a big agruement I'm just trying to state a fact. I'm not sure what type of President Obama will be, only time will tell but this isn't a good start to be giving money out when the nation is have problems.

Drefish99

01-29-2009, 06:44 AM

On a positive note they did remove from the bill $200 million dollars to re-sod the national mall and another $200 million for birth control.

I don't go shopping at malls that have a lot of grass anyway so this was a good choice. :D. But the birth control would have stimulated our economy :p :dodgy:

durrell

01-29-2009, 07:28 AM

What begins? The Republican smear campaign that will be on going on this website? I mean, its fact this site is 99% Republican and no matter what Obama does he's gonna be hated here.

Could've guessed you'd say that. We criticize one thing he does and we get accused of a "smear campaign". :rolleyes:

vikingshadow

01-29-2009, 09:38 AM

But the birth control would have stimulated our economy :p :dodgy:

Oh, but we're taking future spenders out of the loop by providing that! So, the moral of the story the women need to have more babies and it's up to us men to make sure they do! :p

I got an email this morning, and I know it's just a chain letter but it made a LOT of sense to me. THIS is what is going to happen in the next ten years if we don't stop what's happening and THIS is why I'm concerned. Outsourcing of jobs? Why not? It's cheaper for everyone involved and a LOT easier on employers pocketbooks.

See what you think.

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last year's Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent
went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 PM, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations...you never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits, but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada.

Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (or stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it.

Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple.

I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.